George Pickens Signs $27.3 Million Franchise Tag With Cowboys
George pickens signed his franchise tag with the Dallas Cowboys, locking in his status for the 2026 NFL season. His salary is fully guaranteed at $27.3 million, and the deal halts long-term contract talks until next offseason.
Pickens And The Cowboys
The move settles the immediate question around Pickens’ future in Dallas. The Cowboys said they have no intention of moving him, and Stephen Jones said, “We have no intention of moving George,” after Day 1 of the NFL Draft.
Jones added, “We’re fired up about him signing his [tag], because it means he’s ready to come in here and get to work.... We have zero intention of moving [him].”
The timing matters because the news arrived only hours ahead of the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, when speculation had grown that the sides might be headed in a different direction. Instead, Pickens is set to enter the season under the tag and is expected to be present for mandatory minicamp in June.
Dallas Plans For Pickens
Jerry Jones said in late March, “Make no mistake about it, we have long-term plans in mind for Pickens,” and Brian Schottenheimer followed with, “G.P. loves it here [and] we love G.P..” Schottenheimer also said, “We have plans for G.P. to be here for a long time, so we’ll let the business side of this thing play out and see where it goes.”
Pickens has often made it clear he wants to remain in Dallas, and he has spent a lot of time this offseason with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. That leaves the Cowboys with a player on a fully guaranteed one-year tag, a paused push for a longer deal, and public assurances from the top of the organization that the receiver is part of the plan.
